Subscribe now

Life

Cougars are changing the way they hunt so bears don’t steal their food

With more bears and wolves in Yellowstone National Park, cougars there appear to be shifting their hunting strategy to find and protect their kills

By Corryn Wetzel

23 August 2023

Cougar or Mountain lion in the snow

A cougar or mountain lion (Puma concolor) on the prowl in the winter snow

Shutterstock/Jim Cumming

Cougars in Yellowstone National Park are hunting an increasing proportion of their prey on rugged terrain, a tactic that may be a deliberate choice to reduce the chance that their kills are stolen by the growing number of bears and wolves in the area.

In Yellowstone National Park in the western US, the habitat of cougars (Puma concolor) – also known as mountain lions – overlaps with that of grey wolves (Canis lupus), grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilis…

Article amended on 24 August 2023

We corrected the number of kills the cougars made

Sign up to our weekly newsletter

Receive a weekly dose of discovery in your inbox! We'll also keep you up to date with New Scientist events and special offers.

Sign up

To continue reading, subscribe today with our introductory offers

View introductory offers

No commitment, cancel anytime*

Offer ends 2nd of July 2024.

*Cancel anytime within 14 days of payment to receive a refund on unserved issues.

Inclusive of applicable taxes (VAT)

or

Existing subscribers

Sign in to your account